Ember

Men of Inked: Heatwave, Book 7

By: Chelle Bliss

Narrated by: Samantha Brentmoor, Connor Crais

Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's Summary

Rocco Caldo is tall, dark, and handsome, but not interested in love. Loyal to a fault, he can’t turn away an old friend in need or a beautiful woman on the run...especially when they have unfinished business.

Rebel Bishop is a single mom looking for shelter, not a handout. But when her path crosses with an old flame, they uncover an ember of passion that’s been smoldering inside them both for over a decade.

Can they move beyond their tragic past, allowing the flame to burn bright into their future?

Ember is the seventh full-length stand-alone novel in the Men of Inked Heatwave series by USA Today best-selling author Chelle Bliss.

©2021 Bliss Ink (P)2021 Bliss Ink

Ember

Ember?! Shit, the book was a raging inferno!! Complete with plenty of sexy times, a little bit of suspense, and a whole lot of Gallo/Caldo family!! I love how the kids are growing up, having kids of there own and finding love!! There is also plenty to make you cry in this book - both happy and sad tears! But if you can get past the beginning of the book, where your heart gets ripped to shreds, you are rewarded with more love than you can imagine!! I completely forgot about doing much of anything else today, except for reading this book!! Loved everything about this book and the Gallo family feels like family! Yes, I know there fictional! But isn’t that a sign of a brilliant writer - when they can make you forget your troubles and you know the characters so well they feel like there yours!! Most definitely a five star read!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great story

After finishing Spark, I was a little worried about what Chelle Bliss had in store for Ember, book seven in the Men of Inked: Heatwave series. Having read all the previous books I was convinced that I have already read my favourite but I wasn’t counting on James and Izzy’s son Rocco who I adore.

Narrated by Samantha Brentmoor and Connor Crais they did a good job bringing this story to life.

I fell hard and fast for this swoon worthy, caring, protective and passionate man and knew that the woman who earned his love would need to be special. When I learnt that the woman who burrowed deep down into his soul is Rebel, a woman from his past and that she is also a single mum, I knew we were in for one heck of a ride.

This was a fast paced, passionate, story which will keep you on the edge of your seat as danger and suspense unfolds. Reading a book about any member of the Gallo family is for me like catching up with much loved family members.

There is humour, steam, tears and an adorable little girl called Adeline who almost stole the book right out from under the Gallo clan. This book is all about love and family and what one will do for the person who holds their heart. I love this generation of the Gallo’s as much as the originals.

From an ember comes the blaze

Rebel and Rocco were destined but a tragic accident rips them apart. Ten years later she's back but in trouble, the kind of trouble the Caldo family takes care of. The chemistry between these two is off the charts as old feelings long buried resurface. Throw in the charm of a sweet 5 year old and we, once again, have a winning Chelle Bliss work of art.

Once a Gallo rocks your world you done

When you are young and dumb you think your invincible till. God clearly shows you you're not. Horrible accident changes everyone's life.
Then by pure luck you get to right a wrong being a GALLO MAN you already know theanswer

Steamy!

Rebel and Rocco start out hot after meeting on a weekend trip away with Rocco’s brother, Carmello, and his girlfriend, Rebel’s best friend. Then one tragic event changes their lives in ways they couldn’t imagine.

Ten years later Rebel returns asking for Carmello’s help to avoid an abusive ex-boyfriend, but Rocco steps in offering the protection of his home to Rebel and her daughter, Adaline.

The spark that ignited when they first met still burns hot, but can they forgive each other for the way they parted all those years ago? Will Rocco be able to protect Rebel and Adaline from Rebel’s ex?

This was my first book/audio by Chelle Bliss and it was a steamy, heartbreaking, redemptive, second-chance-romance that left me curious about the other members of this large family of characters.

Samantha Brentmoor and Connor Crais were perfect in their performances. Samantha gave us Rebel’s feisty, independent, fierce single-mother nature while still showing Rebel’s soft heart and longing for a family that wanted her. Connor showcased Rocco’s cocky confidence and steadfast protectiveness but also his growth to accepting that there are people worth risking your heart for.

Holy...

Holy... this book. It was on fire! This was my first book by Chelle Bliss and to say I glad this was the one I chose to start with is an understatement. It had everything I love: lots of sexy time, suspense, chemistry that set my ears ablaze, and family. I am definitely going back to and learning more about the Caldo/Gallo family.

I am new to Samantha Brentmoor and I can't wait to listen to more of her work. Samantha and Connor together were amazing. They were perfectly cast as Rocco and Rebel. I hope to hear more from these two.

Swoon-worthy

I am obsessed with Rocco Caldo and Rebel Bishop as a couple. Their chemistry is instant, undeniable, and transcends time and distance. As wonderful as their story is, what I most loved about Ember is the family bond. The Caldo family accepts Rebel and her daughter Adeline as if they have always been a party of the family. Adeline has everyone wrapped around her sassy little pinky. Rebel has lived almost her whole life without a family or anyone in her corner. What she finds with the Caldo/Gallo clan is more than she ever dreamed of. This story wouldn’t have been the same without that family bond, their connection with each other, and their unconditional acceptance and love for Rebel and Adeline. I absolutely loved this story! Thank you to Valentine PR for gifting me heartwarming and swoon worthy audiobook.

Connor Crais and Samanth Brentmoore were cast perfectly for their roles. Their timing, pitch, pace, tone, and characterizations were exemplary. Rocco is gruff, passionate, and protective while also being loving, caring, and tender. Connor was excellent in her portrayal of him. Samantha’s portrayal of Rebel was just as brilliant. Rebel is rightfully full of different emotions including fear. Samantha embraced her beautifully. They both worked together to bring this story to life and make it that much more entertaining and enthralling. I highly recommend the audio version of Ember.

5 Steamy & Loving Stars
NOLA504NERDS BLOG

Wow

This is my first book in the Men of Inked Heatwave series but the second chance, single mom trope really interested me and especially on audio with Connor Crais. From the very beginning of this book it was on fire! The heat in this book was hot. Rocco and Rebel have such a steamy story the first time around. You could tell it was going to progress further but they just didn’t have time. A tragedy changes the direction of their paths and it isn’t until years later that they are reunited.

Their second chance was sweet, especially with the adorable child in the picture. Rocco is just as sexy with his protective side that comes out full blown this time around. The suspense was exciting, especially listening to it. Connor Crais really nailed it and made me feel like I was there. This book was very fast but the characters were full of passion and steam. Absolutely amazing job done by the narrators for pulling this story together.

Fan the flames

First, if you've never read or listened to a Chelle Bliss book, you need to! I'm fairly new to her books, but I'm loving every book. Including Ember. This second chance romance is so perfectly named. Things get dark and circumstances come between Rocco and Rebel, but the flame doesn't go completely out, even ten years later.
Rebel is a strong woman, determined to make it on her own, but the Caldo brothers don't give her much choice other than to let them help her. The chemistry between her and Rocco is off the charts, and these two really bring the heat. And Rocco - Well, Rocco is one of those completely swoony alpha males that you're not likely to forget, one that easily lands in the top ten book boyfriend list. Add in how thoroughly Rebel's very precocious five-year-old has him wrapped around her finger, and he's that much sweeter. We also get plenty of page time with Rocco's larger-than-life family, including some past favorites.
Samantha Brentmoor and Connor Crais voice these characters, and Chelle Bliss couldn't have chosen any better for Rocco and Rebel. The narration captures the emotion of the story perfectly. Whether it's danger or love or swoony heat, it all comes through loud and clear. I've listened to both of these narrators before, so I expected good things from them, and boy, did they deliver.
Finally, and this probably should've been first because it's the first thing you see, but can we take a second for some cover love? That's one hot cover for an equally hot leading man.

Second Chance

Broken by tragedy and torn apart by fear and guilt. Ten years have passed, and Rocco and Rebel get a second chance when Rebel returns home to start a new life for her and her daughter, Adaline. Unfortunately, Rocco and Rebel have a lot of emotional baggage to unpack. Rocco is still cocky, only now he's determined to protect her and her daughter. Rebel is still a strong woman; however, her confidence has taken some pretty heavy damage due to her past relationships and choice of lousy men.

Though not as swoony as the previous stories, I still enjoyed reading Ember. Rocco brings Rebel and her little girl around his family, who quickly make them feel at home during family dinner eve amid the fun and sometimes embarrassing conversations held around the table.

Connor Crais and Samantha Brentmoor did an excellent job with the emotional beginning of the story and carrying the emotion throughout.

Sinfully hot, slow burn, second chance romance!

Ember is book seven in the Men of Inked Heatwave series and is the story of Rocco Caldo and Rebel Bishop that had me captivated from the very beginning.

Rocco is one half of the hot, tattooed Caldo twins and isn’t looking for Love, however, when a woman from his past turns up looking for refuge, he can’t stop the old feelings resurfacing. And he can’t help but fall head over heels for her five-year-old daughter.

Rebel is a strong, independent woman who after escaping an abusive relationship is needing a place to stay until things blow over. She turned to Carmello (Mello) Rocco’s twin, but Rocco takes over and offers his place to her and Adaline and promises to protect them. What Rebel didn’t consider was the burning desire still simmering under the surface ten years later.

Samantha Brentmoor and Connor Crais’ performances as Rebel and Rocco are truly compelling. I loved this duo together; they built the tension in this slow burn romance perfectly. Samantha showcased Rebel’s strong, independent personality while also being submissive perfectly. Connor’s portrayal of the dominant, protective and passionate Rocco was absolutely superb!

If you love a hot inked, dominant, protective hero who melts for a five year old girl, a strong, independent, submissive heroine who will do anything to protect her daughter, a second chance romance that is slow burn, smoulders, then bursts into flames, a family who takes a mother and daughter on as if they’ve always been part of the family and some hot, kinky steamy times then you’ll fall in love with Ember just as I did.

I quite liked it

Reading a new author is always a journey. Even with known tropes and genres, you never know what to expect. This was my first book by this author, and though it wasn’t perfect, I quite liked it.

Often authors shy away from anything explicit–unless it’s a sexy scene. Nothing like that here. The beginning of the story, which happens in the past, is absolutely gut-wrenching and gory. It’s especially crushing as the car accident follows some sexy time. It’s also the origin of all Rebel’s and Rocco’s problems and bad decisions.

We meet them again ten years later. Rocco has sworn off love, and Rebel is running away from an abusive relationship with her young daughter. Rocco offers them to stay with him to protect them when it becomes clear that Rebel’s ex will come for her. That’s the gist of the suspense part of the story. It was mostly an afterthought for most of the book though.

The focus is on the romance and how they slowly build a relationship. Family is also important–Rocco’s is big and welcoming, while Rebel has only known rejection for hers. Rebel’s is now reduced to her daughter, so Rocco’s relationship with Adaline is another strong element in the story. There’s past lust and, according to both of them, past feelings, but they’ve had a life after their short fling, hence they need to build something new, learn about each other. But their past is a solid foundation, so the seduction and flirting is limited.

I didn’t feel the BDSM element in Rocco’s life was really necessary, but I did like the character anyway. He’s protective, and shows a cute side when he’s with Adaline. He’s also a family man, and we see a lot of his relationship with his parents and his twin brother. I don’t know how to feel about Rebel though. Her life choices made little sense, and the way she reacts after some of Rocco’s actions seemed a bit over the top.

The narration did add something to the story. The female narrator had the proper spunk for Rebel, and the male narrator was adequatly alpha. The characters’ emotions, both from the main couple and all the side characters, were brought to life, and it made for an enjoyable audiobook.

A one sit read

Once again I was sucked into the Gallo/Caldo family. While this is book 7 in the series, it probably can be read as a standalone, although personally I recommend pretty much the entire series. Rocco and Rebel have history, but a tragedy changes both their lives and they don't see each other for 10 years. Now Rebel is in trouble and she's brought right back into Rocco's crosshairs and he's not letting her or her child out of his sights again. i can't wait for Singe and while I have overall enjoyed this series, this might be my favourite so far. I volunteered to listen to a complimentary copy of this. All opinions are my own.

Ember

Rocco and Rebel - love at first sight
After their first hot, but also tragic weekend, they meet again 10 years later.
Rebel and her daughter turn Roccos world upside down.

Another amazing story in this series with great narration.

Simply brilliant

Once again a bloody brilliant audiobook from Chelle Bliss, once I started it I didn’t stop listening. I love Samantha Brentwood voice..

brilliant

these books just get better and better, love Samantha Brentmoor and Connor Crais voices, can't wait to listen to the next in the series

Perfect mix of sweet & sin!

I just LOVED every second of this story and I am pretty certain that Rocco & Rebel are my favourite couple in the Heatwave series.

Samantha Brentmoor has become one of my favourite female narrators, but Connor Crais......wooowie, where have you been hiding?! These two are a lethal combination and I hope they are paired together for future stories.

Small burn

Chelle Bliss usually serves up sensational story’s and characters you can feel their personality come alive however this one left me wanting more. The story line had substance however it was the characters that I felt could have been delved into more. Without giving away any spoilers I felt Rocco dark / sexy side could have been more apart of the story line not just an add on at the end and Rebel started of sassy but wained over the story.

Samantha Brentmoor and Connor Crais delivered a brilliant performance and made the listening more enjoyable.

Rocco

Omg, Connor Crais has got the most awesome voice, I absolutely loved hearing him, I have the ebook too and was able to whispersync between the audible and the book, though I must admit I mainly listened to his voice, Samantha did a good job too.

Brilliant, love Rocco & Rebels story!

Rocco and Rebel’s story is brilliant, sexy and emotional, cant beat an alpha Gallo! I would highly recommend this book and Samantha and Connor do the characters justice!
Thanks Chelle Bliss for another great book